Fastest-growing jobs in Illinois

Canva

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.3% (580 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,320
--- Employment in 2022: 1,740
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,740

#50. Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
Skycolors // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.8% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,070
--- Employment in 2022: 800
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable

#49. Commercial pilots
Lighthunter // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.8% (690 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,730
--- Employment in 2022: 2,040
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $64,630

#48. Medical equipment repairers
Dragon Images // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +36.5% (5,720 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 21,400
--- Employment in 2022: 15,680
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $42,790

#47. Social and human service assistants
Ramon Espelt Photography // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +38.7% (410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,470
--- Employment in 2022: 1,060
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,650

#46. Home appliance repairers
Anna Jurkovska // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +38.7% (650 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,330
--- Employment in 2022: 1,680
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,140

#45. Orderlies
Canva

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +38.8% (500 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,790
--- Employment in 2022: 1,290
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $174,970

#44. Pediatricians, general
VE.Studio // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.2% (820 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,910
--- Employment in 2022: 2,090
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $138,340

#43. Natural sciences managers
Canva

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.0% (39,140 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 136,940
--- Employment in 2022: 97,800
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,690

#42. Stockers and order fillers
Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.7% (500 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,730
--- Employment in 2022: 1,230
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $64,960

#41. Occupational health and safety technicians
Canva

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +43.6% (340 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,120
--- Employment in 2022: 780
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,910

#40. Tour and travel guides
Anucha Cheechang // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +44.0% (700 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,290
--- Employment in 2022: 1,590
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,110

#39. Switchboard operators, including answering service
Africa Studio // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +45.3% (2,470 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,920
--- Employment in 2022: 5,450
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,680

#38. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
Roschetzky Photography // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +46.5% (400 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,260
--- Employment in 2022: 860
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $41,420

#37. Food cooking machine operators and tenders
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +47.1% (320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,000
--- Employment in 2022: 680
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $61,110

#36. Athletic trainers
Viktoriia Hnatiuk // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +47.7% (830 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,570
--- Employment in 2022: 1,740
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,380

#35. Travel agents
Canva

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +47.8% (430 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,330
--- Employment in 2022: 900
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,590

#34. News analysts, reporters, and journalists
Martin Smith // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +48.1% (750 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,310
--- Employment in 2022: 1,560
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,560

#33. Parking attendants
GaudiLab // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +48.8% (1,020 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,110
--- Employment in 2022: 2,090
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,350

#32. First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services
GaudiLab // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +48.8% (420 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,280
--- Employment in 2022: 860
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $130,920

#31. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
SeventyFour // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +48.9% (430 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,310
--- Employment in 2022: 880
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $123,590

#30. Computer hardware engineers
fizkes // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +48.9% (680 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,070
--- Employment in 2022: 1,390
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,290

#29. New accounts clerks
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +49.4% (2,520 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,620
--- Employment in 2022: 5,100
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $117,990

#28. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
Canva

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +50.0% (370 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,110
--- Employment in 2022: 740
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,580

#27. Audiovisual equipment installers and repairers
Canva

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +50.7% (380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,130
--- Employment in 2022: 750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $129,840

#26. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
Stokkete // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +50.8% (1,310 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,890
--- Employment in 2022: 2,580
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $118,400

#25. Physician assistants
antoniodiaz // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +51.2% (440 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,300
--- Employment in 2022: 860
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,150

#24. Gambling dealers
LightField Studios // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +52.1% (380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,110
--- Employment in 2022: 730
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,860

#23. Special education teachers, preschool
KSai23 // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +52.4% (890 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,590
--- Employment in 2022: 1,700
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $61,910

#22. Chiropractors
NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +52.7% (1,380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,000
--- Employment in 2022: 2,620
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,670

#21. Massage therapists
Canva

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +53.2% (590 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,700
--- Employment in 2022: 1,110
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,300

#20. Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing
Canva

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +58.0% (1,020 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,780
--- Employment in 2022: 1,760
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,500

#19. Special education teachers, all other
Erickson Stock // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +58.3% (560 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,520
--- Employment in 2022: 960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $75,620

#18. Mathematical science occupations, all other
Canva

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +59.9% (1,180 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,150
--- Employment in 2022: 1,970
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,380

#17. Slaughterers and meat packers
Philip Lange // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +61.5% (3,890 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 10,220
--- Employment in 2022: 6,330
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,450

#16. Highway maintenance workers
Canva

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +62.6% (620 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,610
--- Employment in 2022: 990
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $102,000

#15. Environmental engineers
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +63.8% (3,050 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,830
--- Employment in 2022: 4,780
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,530

#14. Phlebotomists
Djols // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +68.2% (600 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,480
--- Employment in 2022: 880
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable

#13. Emergency medicine physicians
Canva

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +70.7% (1,180 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,850
--- Employment in 2022: 1,670
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,710

#12. Skincare specialists
michaeljung // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +74.0% (540 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,270
--- Employment in 2022: 730
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $103,830

#11. Power plant operators
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +94.3% (1,000 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,060
--- Employment in 2022: 1,060
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $41,810

#10. Food processing workers, all other
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +95.7% (1,770 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,620
--- Employment in 2022: 1,850
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,200

#9. Financial clerks, all other
Canva

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +119.5% (920 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,690
--- Employment in 2022: 770
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $42,590

#8. Demonstrators and product promoters
NIKCOA // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +122.3% (1,480 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,690
--- Employment in 2022: 1,210
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,410

#7. Medical transcriptionists
Motortion Films // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +124.8% (1,260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,270
--- Employment in 2022: 1,010
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $67,530

#6. Entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling
Nature's Charm // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +134.8% (2,480 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,320
--- Employment in 2022: 1,840
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,970

#5. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
Atstock Productions // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +157.4% (1,810 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,960
--- Employment in 2022: 1,150
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,030

#4. Telemarketers
Canva

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +182.6% (1,260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,950
--- Employment in 2022: 690
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable

#3. Musicians and singers
Yulai Studio // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +211.1% (760 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,120
--- Employment in 2022: 360
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $59,630

#2. Surgical assistants
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +234.7% (4,530 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,460
--- Employment in 2022: 1,930
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable

This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

#1. Actors
Stacker // Canva